“In the beginning of the pandemic, there was a real nervousness,” says Keely York, president and chief operations officer of Portland digital advertising agency Thesis. “A lot of our clients were looking to make cuts, and often the first place to cut back is on advertising budget.”

But the nerves were short-lived.

While some brands scaled back at the outset of COVID-19, it quickly became clear that online advertising had become more effective than ever before. Whether it was to check news, order products or connect with loved ones on social media, digital advertising became the first, best and only way for brands to make themselves known to potential customers.

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